Shears for cutting grass.



No. 708,737. Patented Sept. 9, 1902.

J. B. RHODES.

SHEABS FOR CUTTING GRASS. (A lieanon' filed Apr. 26, 1902.

(No Model.)

D a fi' Sawznfoz E I v Jenna's B. Rhocles wi lwwooea I t THE NdnmsPEYERS cu. worauma, WASHYHGYGN. D c.

' UNITED STATES lATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. RHODES, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ORONK ANDCARRIER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

SHEARS FOR CUTTING GRASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 708,737, datedSeptember 9, 1902.

Application filed April 26, 1902. Serial No. 104,786. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES B. RHODES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shears for CuttingGrass; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in shears for cutting grass,trimming lawns, and other like uses; and its object is to provide adevice that may be operated by a person standing in an upright position,that will out at a certain distance from the ground, that is simple anddurable, and to provide the same with certain new and useful featureshereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective of a device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2a vertical section of the lower part of the same.

Like letters refer to like parts in both figures.

A A represent a pair of ordinary shearblades pivoted at B and havingcutting portions forward of the pivot and rearwardlyextending portionsprovided with slots A. These blades are mounted upon the upwardly andforwardly extended end E of a shoe E and secured thereto by a downwardextension of the pivot B. The shoe E is adapted to slide on the groundand has an upwardly and rearwardly extended portion E, to which por-;

tion is pivotally attached at D a pair of inclined and crossedoperating-levers G 0, extending upward a suitable distance and providedat their upper ends with handles 0 C to be grasped and operated by aperson in a standing position and with the shoe E resting on the ground.The lower ends of these levers C C slidably engage the respective slotsA A in the extension of the shear-blades. Attached to the rear extensionE of the shoe is a transverse bar F, having forwardly-extended ends F,which ends serve as stops to limit the forward movement of the levers GG and prevent their withdrawal from the slots A. These stops also serveto aline the shoe with the shears when the levers are opened out againstsaid stops. A stud G secures the bar F to the shoe and projects forwardto act as a central stop to engage the levers O 0 when closed and bringtheshoe in line with the levers and the blades to a central positionover the shoe.

By the described constructionl provide a very simple and durable deviceat a small cost 1. The combination of a shoe adapted to slide on theground, a pair of shear-blades pivotally attached to the forward end ofthe shoe, and a pair of operating-levers pivotally attached to the rearof the shoe and extending upward therefrom, and also connected to therear of the shear-blades to operate the same, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of a shoe having a middle portion adapted to slide onthe ground, an upright forwardly-extended forward end, and an upwardlyand rearwardly extended rear end, a pair of horizontal shear-bladespivoted upon-the forward end of the shoe, a pair of crossed and inclinedlevers pivoted upon the rear end of the shoe and slidably connected tothe shear-blades at their lower ends, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a shoe having a mid dle portion adapted to slideon the ground and upwardly and oppositely inclined ends, a pair ofshear-blades arranged horizontally and pivotally attached. to the end ofthe-shoe and having slots in their rear ends, and a pair of inclinedlevers pivotally attached to the other end of the shoe, and providedwith handles at their upper ends, and also slidably engaging the slotsin the extensions of the blades at their lower ends, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination of a shoe having an upwardly-extended rear portion,horizontal shear-blades pivoted to the shoe, inclined levers pivoted tothe rear portion of the shoe and a transverse bar attached to the shoeand having stops at its ends to engage the levers, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination of a shoe having an upwardly-extended rear portion,horizontal shear-blades pivoted to the shoe, crossed 1evers pivoted tothe rear portion and connected to the shear-blades, a transverse barattached to the shoe and having forwardly-bent ends to engage thelevers, and a middle stud to engage the levers, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination of a shoe having a middle portion adapted to slide onthe ground, an upwardly and forwardly extended front portion, and anupwardly and rearwardly extended rear portion; horizontal shear-bladespivoted on the front portion of the shoe, and having slotted rearextensions, inclined and crossed levers pivoted to the rear portion ofthe shoe, and having handles at their upper ends and slidably engagingthe slots at their lower ends, a transverse bar on the shoe havingforwardly-extended ends to engage the levers, and a central stud toengage the levers, and to secure the bar in place, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES B. RHODES. Witnesses:

PALMER A. JoNEs, FRANK J. HAIGHT.

